Fusion or Revolution are headed for dubious MLS playoff distinction.

By Jerry Langdon
Gannett News Service

(Monday, September 20, 1999) -- Major League Soccer will set a record going
into the playoffs that it won't be trumpeting.

Two teams mired in futility for the past couple months, the Miami Fusion
and New England Revolution, are battling for the fourth and final playoff
berth in the Eastern Conference. They also both have a shot at third place,
too, occupied by the Tampa Bay Mutiny, but forget it.

Whichever team wins fourth place -- and we probably could use a more
accurate verb - will be No. 1 in having the worst regular season record of
anyone ever to participate in the MLS playoffs. The Fusion and Revolution
have earned this distinction with still three contests to play.

If Miami was to win its final three games in regulation time, it would
finish with 32 points. If New England was to likewise take its last three
games, it would finish with 31 points. The lowest number of points for a
playoff team in the first three years of Major League Soccer was earned by
Miami, which finished fourth with 35 points in 1998.

The Fusion's problems haven't been as sustained as the Revolution's, losing
four straight games before taking a shootout win against New England -- and
then bombing 6-1 at San Jose. It is 11-18 for 23 points, with games
remaining at Columbus and home to Columbus and Colorado.

The Revolution, meanwhile, has been in a freefall, winning just two of its
last 13 matches. It is 10-19 for 22 points, with home games left against
Dallas and New York\New Jersey, and a final match at D.C. United.

Miami has no punch on offense, especially with high-scoring forward Diego
Serna out for half of the season with a knee injury. New England has
firepower, but sporadic weaknesses on defense, and the players throughout
don't mesh well together.

Even the woeful, last-place MetroStars have played better in recent weeks
-- winning at Columbus and taking D.C. United into a shootout.

MLS is littered with under-achieving teams, but no one comes close in the
over-achieving department to Tampa Bay. Coach Tim Hankinson has
accomplished miracles with a modestly endowed side since taking over during
the 1998 season. He has the Mutiny third in the East, with 29 points, and
playing solid soccer against good and bad teams.

Besides trying to overcome heavy injuries on the defense, he made wholesale
changes during the season, and they have paid off. Carlos Valderrama's
offense-only magic didn't appeal to Miami, but it does to the Mutiny. Raul
Diaz Arce wasn't scoring at San Jose; he has in Tampa Bay, where he pairs
well with rugged Musa Shannon or new acquisition Manny Lagos.

Hankinson got rid of Josh Keller in 1998, but got him back in 1999 and he
has been a revelation at defensive midfield behind Valderrama. Mauricio
Ramos, normally a central midfielder, moved to the flank with the addition of
Valderrama -- and has adjusted and contributed. Steve Ralston
has been outstanding on the flank.

Defender Richie Kotschau was acquired, and Joseph Addo was signed, to fill
gaping holes in the defense left by the season-ending injury to Jan
Eriksson, illness of Chris Houser, and R.T. Moore's mid-season retirement
to go to dental school.

Scott Garlick, formerly with D.C. United, has been outstanding in goal.
This is a team capable of beating anyone in a single match. Winning two out
of three in a playoff series might be difficult. But don't forget that the
Mutiny's record against Eastern Conference runnerup Columbus, their likely
first-round foe, is 3-1 this season.